Elder Scrolls Online to separate players by platform

Players in the upcoming Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG will find themselves separated by platform, according to information released today by game developer Zenimax Online. Adventurers on PC and Mac will share a server world while Xbox One and PS4 players will each be populating their own respective "megaservers."

It's an interesting bit of news, especially when considered within the context of a gaming cosmos that sees more and more in common between PCs and console gaming. With the Elder Scrolls mythology existing as such a cross-platform phenomenon, it's not clear yet why the player base will be split into sections for each gaming console. Obviously the control schemes must play a part in dividing players but there is also the possibility that each platform's particular approach to free-to-play—and its attached economy—could have something to do with how this will play out.

ESO also announced today that a new round of beta invites have been sent out. We are warned to check our spam folders for any stray emails. As an Elder Scrolls player who saw massive differences between Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, I can't wait to see if ESO is able to merge these disparate strands of lore together into a new and complete experience.